


Love in the Library

by Moonbeam (luvsbitca)



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Library, Fluff, I'm not sure if there is any plot here, M/M, Modern AU, Set in a library, canon AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-29
Packaged: 2018-03-29 04:11:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 17,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3881776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luvsbitca/pseuds/Moonbeam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilbo is a Children's Librarian running an amazing Storytime. Ori is a Local History Librarian having issues with one of the hobbits he works with. Thorin is an uncle with two small nephews in need of an activity to keep them occupied. Balin is a matchmaker and History professor with a project on the relocation of the Dwarves of Erebor following Smaug's invasion. Dwalin is a Professor at the local university specialising in the history of the Dwarfish military. Gandalf is a library manager with a lot of scheming to be getting on with. They are all about to meet at the Shire Library.</p><p>Written for the <a href="http://hobbitstory.livejournal.com/>hobbitstory</a>%20bigbang%20at%20LJ."></a></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Storytime

**Author's Note:**

> **AN:** I’m not sure if this is any good…it might be utterly crap. And since I’m feeling quite insecure about it I’m going to start posting it before my beta – the wonderful ManhattanMom gets back to me because I’m finding it difficult to write knowing it might be bad.

**Love in the Library  
** by Moonbeam

**///Storytime\\\\\**

Bilbo wriggled and smiled out at the mothers and fathers that were sitting in front of him. He opened his mouth to start his first rhyme when there was a commotion from near the circulation desk. He looked over to watch a tall, male dwarf with a long mane of grey flecked black hair and a robust beard stalk towards the children's area. He had a blond child under one arm and a brunette toddler over his shoulder. Bilbo bit down on his desire to smile, or laugh, or offer to help. He smiled encouragingly – it was always good to have new faces at any programme they ran and he wanted them to keep coming.

"Hello," Bilbo said happily when the man had stalled a few steps from the ring of parents. "Are you here for Storytime?"

The man looked around, seemed to brace himself, and nodded. "Yes."

"The kids can come and sit on the mat if you like."

The man looked down at them and shook his head. "Might just keep them with me."

"No," the blond said, wriggling back and out of his father's grip. "I'm going to sit up there."

The man looked worried but glanced back up at Bilbo and then nodded. He grabbed the brunette and walked awkwardly to the edge of the ring of parents and sat down with the smaller child on his knee.

Bilbo dropped his gaze down to the group of children in front of him and smiled brightly. "Hello, everyone, we're going to start with our-"

"My name's Fíli," the blond dwarf sitting in front of him said.

Bilbo smiled softly.

"My name is Gimli," said the red-headed boy next to Fíli.

"My name's Bilbo," Bilbo said, holding up his hands. "We're going to start with our first rhyme…what do we need?"

"Your hands," piped up a girl from the back.

Bilbo ran them through the rhyme and started the first story when he caught sight of the small brunette latecomer making a break from his father. Bilbo kept reading while the boy darted forward and was snagged by his father and yanked back onto the adult's lap. It was a familiar routine and Bilbo noticed it as Winnie changed the colour of her cat so that she could see him more easily. Then the boy made his final break away and darted to the right, hooking to the left, and then ran to the front of the group of children and collided into his brother's side.

The blond took the hit and yanked his brother down to the floor next to him. Bilbo paused and Fíli told his brother to shush before turning his undivided attention back to Bilbo. Bilbo internally preened at the fact he'd hooked another new child to Storytime and kept reading. He finished his book and looked down at the group ready to ask questions when the blond elbowed his brother.

"You're sitting on me, Kíli."

"Not."

Bilbo leaned down to catch Fíli's attention and the blond looked up at him. "Which book should we read next?"

Fíli looked up.

"The one with the hat," Gimli called out.

Kíli turned and looked at Gimli before swivelling his head back to his brother. "Hat?"

Fíli looked at Kíli and nodded. "Hat."

Bilbo smiled and looked at the rest of the crowd – most of them weren't comfortable talking in the group yet. He pulled out the new book and read it. When they had made it through all of the books, a shaker song…or five, and a few rhymes Bilbo sent them all moving to the tables to make their own wizard hats. He stood up and smiled at the parents watching as Fíli went and grabbed his father's hand and yanked him over towards one of the tables. Kíli had already uncapped the glue stick and was rubbing it liberally across the pink card in front of him.

"Kíli," the dwarf hissed, "don't do that."

Kíli looked up at his father and then went back to doing what he had been. Bilbo smiled and turned to survey the whole group. He rushed around making sure everyone had what they needed and that they all knew what they were doing and the next time he turned around Kíli was sitting on the ground gluing sequins to his leg while Fíli was colouring in and his father was attempting to get him to do so in the lines and in the right colours. Bilbo walked over and smiled at Legolas who was colouring on the other side of the small table.

"Legolas, that is a beautiful picture," Bilbo said, watching the blond flick his eyes up and continue colouring in the entire page green.

He saw the dwarf look over and frown before he looked back down at Fíli's own colour.

"Yours looking wonderful too, Fíli."

Fíli smiled up at him and went back to doing what he had been, and ignoring his father.

"How did you hear about Storytime?" Bilbo asked.

"Uncle Thorin was br-bribed into coming," Fíli told Bilbo seriously. Bilbo was glad he had kept his assumption to himself…he should know better.

The dwarf…Thorin coloured a little. "My sister asked me to bring them down."

"Bribed," Kíli said, looking up at Bilbo with a bright smile and a rhinestone stuck to the middle of his nose.

Bilbo couldn't resist laughing. "Regardless, we're happy you could come and join in today."

Thorin looked completely harried as he looked down at his nephews. Bilbo smiled at him and drifted away, stopping to compliment Aragon's hat that was beginning to look more like a battle helmet and watched as Arwen embellished hers with glitter. Bilbo frowned down at her – he hadn't put glitter out. She looked up and smiled at him, sprinkling more silver glitter across her magic hat. He thought about saying something but if she brought her own glitter he thought it would be better for his mental health if he didn't know about it.

Bilbo felt someone tap him on the shoulder and when he turned Fíli was standing behind him with one eye covered by his magic hat. Kíli stood next to him wearing his like a chest-plate. Bilbo looked up at Thorin and smiled.

"Did you enjoy your first Storytime?"

Fíli and Kíli nodded enthusiastically.

"Would you like a sticker?"

"They don't need a sticker," Thorin said.

Bilbo looked up at him with surprise. "Everyone gets a sticker."

"They misbehaved."

Bilbo looked at Fíli and Kíli who were both doing impressions of angelic children.

"Please, Uncle Thorin," Fíli said, looking up at his uncle with wide, innocent eyes. "I will try and be better next time."

Thorin looked unmoved but Kíli walked over to him and tugged on the bottom of his pants. "Please, Uncle?"

Thorin looked at Bilbo. "What do you think?"

Bilbo dropped down into a crouch and smiled at Fíli and Kíli. "I think you both listened very well during the stories and made wonderful magic hats."

"Sticker?" Kíli asked hopefully, thrusting his hand out.

"Sticker," Bilbo agreed, pulling one off his sheet and smoothing it over the back of Kíli's hand.

Fíli stepped forward for his and then threw an arm around Kíli's shoulders. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome." Bilbo stood up and looked up at Thorin. "Thanks for coming."

"We'll be back next week," Thorin said gruffly and then looked down at his nephews. "Let's go."

Fíli and Kíli immediately walked to Thorin's side after waving at Bilbo. Bilbo waved goodbye and then turned back to the rest of the group.

**///**


	2. Contact

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say a huge thank you to the people who commented and encouaraged. I'm going to hopefully be posting daily and I'm working on more.

**///** **Contact \\\\\**

Ori silently grumbled to himself and stared at the computer in front of him fiercely. He listened to the hobbit behind him talking to the other librarian and wanted to tell them both off. He wouldn't though; he would bite his tongue while he stared at his computer screen with determination. Moments later his phone rang and he left out a sigh of relief as he grabbed the phone.

"Shire Libraries, Ori speaking."

"Ori…are you are local history librarian?"

"Yes, can I help you?"

"I have been looking for you for days, Ori."

Ori frowned. "Who is this?"

"Oh, I am sorry, my boy. My name is Balin and I'm the head of the School of History at Ered Luin University and I would like to get you on board for a project I am leading on the history of dwarf refugees from Erebor that relocated to the Blue Mountains and the Shire."

Ori thought of his mother who had been one of those refugees that fled when Smaug overtook the distant mountain stronghold. It did seem a bit outside of his skills though. "Hello Balin, It sounds intriguing however I'm not sure how I can help you."

"We are looking to partner with the Shire Libraries as well as the Library of Ered Lindon for this project and I would be very interested in getting together with yourself and perhaps the Manager of your Library to discuss how we might be able to work together."

"I'm happy to meet with you but I'm not sure how I can help you."

Balin laughed on the other end of the line. "You are uniquely placed to gather information, Ori. There are a large number of displaced dwarves living in the Shire now."

"So, what are you hoping that I will be able to do for you?"

"I'd like to use the library as a point of contact with the dwarves. This project is about the attack by Smaug, which I was unfortunate enough to have witnessed, and the movement of the dwarves across Middle Earth to their current homes. There has been talk that the heir to the Throne Under the Mountain wants to reclaim his mountain and I think this is the perfect time for us to reflect on this vast migration and see the lives that the dwarves of Erebor have made for themselves. I know your mother was born there; as I was."

"She was only a dwarfling at the time."

"It does not matter; something like that stays with us. I am working with the Anthropology department, along with my brother, on this project. We would like to present the information in a paper but also through the library as a partner."

"That sounds wonderful," Ori admitted, thinking it was in fact something he would love to be involved in. He had a history degree, from the University of the Iron Hills, and he loved being a librarian but this project sounded perfect. He just hoped that Gandalf agreed. "I would love to be involved but I will have to run all of this by Gandalf, my manager, of course."

"Of course. If I can get your information I will email you our project information. I would really like to have you working with us, Ori."

"And I'd like the chance to work with you."

"You'll hear from me by the end of the day. It was lovely to talk to you today, Ori."

"And you, Balin."

Ori placed the phone back into the cradle and smiled. Then he heard Sméagol behind him complain to Nórl about Óin, Bofur, and Bombur out in the workroom and he wished Bilbo was back. They never did this when Bilbo was in the office. Ori looked down at the time and decided to escape out of the office and help Bilbo clean up after his Storytime session.

He beeped himself through the door and froze watching a dwarf walk out of the library with two small dwarflings. Ori shook his head – he could not have possibly seen the heir to the line of Durin, and the disposed King Under the Mountain, at a Storytime session – it was just the conversation he'd had with Balin that had put it in his head. Ori smiled to himself and walked towards the children's area. There were a few children and their adults still mulling around making their craft. Ori marvelled for a moment over the way that Bilbo interacted with the young dwarves, elves, hobbits, and men that were still in the room as Ori started collecting up the leftover supplies.

Bilbo came over to stand next to him moment later. "Are they getting you down?"

"They are being rather passive-aggressive."

"They're always passive-aggressive. But I'm never going to turn down the help."

"I should say something."

"We should both say something but Gandalf is handing it."

"I got some…" Ori stopped when Elrond and his daughter made their way over to Bilbo to show off the very sparkly magic hat that Arwen had made. Bilbo turned around and fawned over Arwen's work for a few moments before giving her a sticker and thanking her for coming. Ori wiped down the tables and rested his hip against one until Bilbo could tell him what else he needed done.

"What were you saying?" Bilbo asked, winding down the glues and smiling at Ori.

"I got a call from someone at Ered Luin University about a project. It sounds really interesting but I'm not sure if Gandalf is going to think it's worth the time it will take me."

"Then you need to come up with a really good argument. And you know Gandalf – he's all for those type of projects and he _loves_ a good partnership."

"I'm going to practise on you before I go to him then."

Bilbo beamed at Ori. "Come on, we'll go and get a cup of tea. I brought in some vanilla thins for my morning tea and I made sure to pack enough for you."

"Working with you more than makes up for the other two," Ori said, pushing the whiteboard while Bilbo returned his trolley to their office.

**///**


	3. See, I Have This Project

**///** **See, I Have This Project\\\\\**

Ori looked over at Bilbo and the hobbit smiled at him fondly. Ori tried not to think about the other two librarians in the room. He left his office and walked through the workroom to knock on Gandalf's door.

"Hi Gandalf, are you ready to talk?"

Gandalf turned to look at him, his long, grey cloak swirling around his legs. "Of course, Ori, come in."

"I sent you the project information that Balin sent me. Have you had a chance to look over it?"

"I did," Gandalf said, looking down at Ori with those strange eyes that were at once kind and mocking. "What do you think of the idea?"

"I think it sounds wonderful and it would be quite meaningful for our community. A large number of our patrons are dwarves that travelled to the Shire following the fall of Erebor. My mother was one of them."

"Yes," Gandalf said, turning back to his screen and looking at the brief that Balin had sent through. "I would be very interested in meeting with Balin and his brother before I make a final decision.

"Of course," Ori said, having expected it. "They can meet with us on Friday."

Gandalf smiled at him. "I look forward to it."

Ori frowned at Gandalf – there was something strangely knowing in Gandalf's smile. He had learned not to question the wizard too deeply though so he left it.

"Before you leave, Ori, how are things progressing with your office mates."

Ori sighed.

"That well? I know it will not make the problem disappear but I am working on it and you are not the only one annoyed by their behaviour."

"I like Bilbo," Ori said with a smile.

"It is hard to dislike Master Baggins."

Ori laughed.

"Chin-up, Ori, it will get better."

Ori smiled and left the office. He grabbed his lanyard, fingering the white and yellow chain links and thought of his brothers as he walked out towards the main library and his desk shift. He passed Bard who smiled at him and handed over their roving tablet.

"Bilbo has a big group so it's mad," Bard told him, slipping out the back and heading for a cup of coffee. Ori took a deep breath and walked out, heading down towards the children's area and the parents down there who would all want help from Bilbo who was too busy to be helping them and running the craft. Ori waded in and looked around for the dwarf he had seen the week before. He couldn't see him or the two small dwarflings that he had been with. Ori wandered around the area thinking about the meeting that was coming on Friday and how much he wanted this project to work out. Then he got stopped by Thranduil asking about a book for Legolas and he had to focus on what was happening now.

By Friday, Ori was completely prepared with information he thought he could take to the meeting but he felt like he was going to scream if he looked at it once more so he followed Bilbo out to the children's area while the hobbit organised for his Storytime.

"Hello again," Bilbo said and Ori turned around to see the dwarf from last week. "Fíli and Kíli, I'm so pleased you came back."

"We're early this time," Thorin said. "I talked to them about behaving themselves as well."

Bilbo smiled and Ori noticed the flush of colour over the hobbit's cheeks as he talked to the dwarf. Ori wondered if he could actually be Thorin Oakenshield or if he just looked similar to the dispossessed Dwarf King.

The blond dwarfling walked over and looked up at Bilbo. "Uncle Thorin made me promise to sit on the purple blanket for the whole Storytime."

Bilbo dropped down into a crouch. "We're going to be using our shakers today and it's okay to move then."

Fíli turned around and looked at his uncle.

"Yes, you can move then." Thorin told him.

Fíli let out a sound of pleasure and rushed over to his brother.

Ori looked at the dwarf talking to Bilbo and tried to imagine him with shorter, darker hair. He must be _the_ Thorin. Ori wanted to ask but he didn't think it was appropriate and it didn't seem like Bilbo had any idea who he was talking to. Ori wondered if he should clue the hobbit in or not.

"Purple mat," the brunette dwarfling called out from where he was reading a book on the floor.

"They will be better behaved," Thorin told Bilbo solemnly.

Bilbo laughed. "They were good last week."

Thorin looked unsure.

Bilbo smiled and looked over at Fíli and Kíli. "It's always nice to have new children at Storytime."

Thorin still didn't seem sure but he didn't disagree with Bilbo either.

"And their uncles."

"My sister informed me that if I was at home and off-duty I should spend more time with my nephews."

"Off-duty?"

"I'm in the military," Thorin said, waving a hand as though he was brushing the comment aside as inconsequential.

"Mama said that we would stop Uncle Thorin from acting too serious."

Thorin looked down at his nephew.

"I hope it works," Bilbo offered, smiling down at Fíli. "And I am going to get ready for Storytime."

"What are we hearing stories about today?" Fíli asked, following him.

"That's going to be a surprise. When we start the session you can see if you can work it out."

Fíli nodded and rushed back over to his brother's side.

"Do you know who that is?" Ori asked, completely incapable of biting his tongue.

"Of course, he was here last week," Bilbo said with a smile. "His name is Thorin."

Ori opened his mouth and then shook his head – he would leave that realisation to Bilbo in due time.

**///**


	4. Contention at Storytime

**///** **Contention at Storytime \\\\\**

Thorin watched his nephews sitting on the purple rug and cursed his sister. He had spent the last fifty years at war and now she wanted him to be here looking after two small dwarflings who did not know how to listen to orders. They were completely undisciplined. Thorin let his vision widen to the other children – the small blond elf sitting next to Kíli, the brunette elf sitting next to her father and playing some strange game with the human child next to her. There was a large group of children, some – like his nephews – seemed incapable of sitting in one place for any length of time and he questioned their care givers for not demanding stillness as he had. At least the blond elf was sitting sensibly though Thorin could not work out who he belonged to.

Then Thorin saw a tall, blond elf stalking through the shelves near the windows and he felt his eyes narrow. Thranduil. Thorin looked back down at the blond elf sitting next to Kíli and tried to work out if he belonged to that conniving, backstabbing, traitor of an elf. He recognised the elflet from the last session though and he did not believe he could have missed the greatest traitor that had ever come from the elf race. Thorin stood up and stalked towards the books that Thranduil was flicking through.

The elf looked up and lifted one silver eyebrow. "Thorin Oakenshield."

"Thranduil," Thorin grunted out in a voice dripping with disdain.

Thranduil looked Thorin up and down and shook his head. "The years have not been kind."

"You mean the years since you betrayed my people, broke our friendship, and watched my dwarves scatter to the four corners of Middle Earth?"

Thranduil inclined his head. "You had already been defeated by Smaug when my elves received your distress call."

"And you turned your back on us."

"My elves would have been slaughtered along with your dwarves."

"And we would have been able to stop the dragon and hold our mountain."

Thranduil shook his head at Thorin. "They would have fallen as well. I have faced the fire-drakes of the North and we would not have won."

"You do not know that. I don't care what they say about elves, most of you do not have the gift of foresight."

"No, we do not," Thranduil admitted. "However, he had taken the stronghold of Erebor and as you know your ancestors made that mountain impregnable."

Thorin hated elves.

"Excuse me," a soft voice said next to them.

Thorin turned with Thranduil to look at the being that had interrupted them. Bilbo was standing before them with his arms cross over his chest. Thorin noted the displeased light in his eyes and again wondered at the hobbit before him. He knew he was attracted to him but he also knew he would never, could never, act upon it.

Bilbo smiled at them but Thorin noted the steel in his eyes. "We can hear your conversation."

Thorin looked over Bilbo's shoulder at the large group of children – his own nephews included – who were all openly staring at them, as well as their parents who were pretending to be discreet.

"It's time for Storytime to start. I need to ask you to either take this conversation away from the children's area or to please wait until after the session is over to have it."

Thorin nodded. "My apologies, Bilbo, we will leave the conversation for a later time."

"We will leave the conversation forever," Thranduil said, walking straight past them both.

Thorin glared at the elf's back.

"Thorin?"

Thorin pulled his gaze back to Bilbo. "He deserves all my harshest words."

"Here?"

Thorin inclined his head and gestured to the children waiting. "I will behave."

Bilbo smiled and turned back towards the children. Thorin walked back to his seat, ignoring the elf and walked to the other end of the benches. He watched his nephews, sitting at the very front of the large group of children next to the blond elf that must be Thranduil's son. Thorin would have to talk to them about the beings they chose to sit with.

Bilbo settled on his stool and then smiled down at all of the children. "Today we are going to have a very special surprise for our craft."

The children sitting in front of the hobbit bounced excitedly.

"We're going to be artistic and paint bread."

The woman sitting next to Thorin chuckled quietly. "My Boromir will want to paint bread all month again."

"How do they paint bread?" Thorin asked, confused.

"With milk and food colouring. The kids love it because Bilbo toasts the bread and they get to eat it. Last time he made fruit kebabs too."

Thorin frowned. "Why?"

The blonde woman looked at him with a frown. "Because it's fun and encourages children to eat fruit."

"I thought this was supposed to be about reading."

The woman shook her head at him. "It's about more than that. Why don't you ask Bilbo after the session – he explains it very well. My Boromir has come out of his shell since he's been coming to Storytime. He was so quiet before."

"I'm hoping my nephews learn how to be quiet."

Glóin, who Thorin knew only peripherally, ducked his head around the woman he'd been talking to and shook his head. "Bilbo does this thing where he makes them very loud while managing to keep them doing exactly what he wants. He is very good."

Thorin sighed and turned back to Bilbo. "Dís and I are going to be having a conversation then."

Bilbo smiled down at his rapt audience, turned the page, and started singing about wombat stew.

**///**


	5. Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to feel a little better about this story. Thank you all so much for the encouragement. I'm writing a couple of the newer chapters and I'm actually feeling somewhat good about them so *fingers crossed*

**///** **Meeting \\\\\**

"Ori," Haldir said, ducking his head into the doorway. "There are two dwarves here to see you."

"Thanks, Haldir," Ori said, grabbing his notebook and walking out of the office.

He walked through the backroom of the library and thought about everything he wanted to ask Balin. He tried to remember everything he'd practised with Bilbo and he put a smile on his face as he walked through the doorway. Then he forgot everything he had been thinking about.

"Oh, Ori, how wonderful to meet you," the older of the two dwarves said, holding his hand out for a shake.

Ori blinked at him for a beat too long and then shoved his hand out and shook the other dwarf's hand. "Hello, Balin?"

"Yes, sorry, I'm Balin and this is my brother Dwalin – he is the leading professor on the topic of Dwarven military campaigns in all of Middle Earth."

"Hello," Ori said too loudly, holding his hand out to the most attractive dwarf he had ever seen in his life.

Dwalin looked down at him from beneath bushy blue-black eyebrows cut through with scars. Ori felt tongue-tied and stupid. Dwalin smiled weakly and shook his hand.

"Meeting room," Ori said, not letting go of Dwalin's hand.

Balin smiled at him and looked down at their joined hands. Ori yanked his hand back.

"We've got a meeting room all set up for the meeting," Ori said, turning to walk out from behind the circulation desk and collided with Mäerg. He bounced the hobbit away and dropped his notepad as he tried to catch her hands.

"Ori," she said, shaking her head and straightening her dress. "Is everything well?"

"Yes, sorry, sorry," Ori said, bending down to pick up his notebook and the book she'd been carrying. "I'm sorry."

She smiled at him gently and Ori made a pained expression.

"Sorry," he said again.

"Not a problem," she told him. "Go and have your meeting."

Ori nodded and turned to walk around the display shelves until he stood next to Dwalin. "Please, follow me," he offered weakly as he began to lead them out through the library and to their meeting room.

"This is a lovely library," Balin told him.

"Thank you. It's actually a very appropriate place to be meeting here as dwarves of Erebor were responsible for rebuilding the library twenty years ago."

"I know," Balin told him.

Ori thanked Mahal that Dwalin was walking behind him and he was able to focus on something other than the tattoos around the muscular wrist that Ori had wanted to trace. He had never been so completely consumed by lust or so stupid. Ori tried to prepare himself to speak to Dwalin like he had a brain – he could do it; he'd managed it before. Ori walked them into the room made of aubergine coloured glass and metal twisted by dwarfish artisans.

Balin sat down next to Ori which was not how he had wanted it to go – it would be too difficult to stare at Balin to keep his focus like this.

"I have some information," Balin said, handing Ori a leaf of paper. "This is the amended project plan. I was recently contacted by the good Lady Dís. She heard of our project and would like to be of assistance."

Ori thought about mentioning that Thorin Oakenshield was attending their Storytimes. It wasn't his information to share though so he kept his own council.

"I've spoken to my manager, Gandalf," Ori said, looking down at his notebook so that he wouldn't stare at Dwalin and act like a dwarf who had not yet reached his trials.

"The Grey?" Balin asked.

"Yes, exactly," Ori said, smiling and trying not to get distracted reading the tattoos curling over Dwalin's forearm. "He agrees that this is a hugely important project and while it's not something that The Shire Library would normally be involved in he would like us to be as involved as possible with what you're doing. He will be able to talk to us as soon as he's finished in another meeting."

Balin's face opened up into a broad smile. "That is perfect. We would like to use this library as a satellite operation. Dwalin would be coming down and conducting interviews with dwarves that have moved to the Shire and surrounding areas. We have already put out a call to dwarves who were born in Erebor as well as ones who have relatives that have passed that would like to share their accounts. We are looking for information, stories, memorabilia…everything really."

Dwalin cleared his throat and looked at his brother. Ori's eyes flicked to him at the noise and he tracked the play of muscles under the other dwarf's heavy blue-black beard. "Brother, I thought you were to conduct interviews here."

Balin shook his head with a smile. "No, I think you would be much better suited to the job."

Dwalin looked at Ori and stared at him fiercely for a few moments and then nodded. "Very well."

"Ori," Balin said, pulling Ori's attention back to him.

"Yes?" Ori blinked at Balin for a moment and then the conversation came back to him. "We can offer you this room for Dwalin's use."

"Thank you. We would, of course, also like your input into what we're doing. You know the dwarves around this area. We are also very interested in hearing from hobbits who were instrumental in assisting the dwarves when they arrived in the Shire."

"You should speak to our Children's Librarian, Bilbo Baggins," Ori said. "His mother, Bella Baggins, lead the inclusion of dwarves into the Shire."

Balin's eyes lit up. "I have heard of her work with the Dwarves of Erebor and would greatly like to meet him."

"He's at Storytime at the moment, but I could get him to talk to you afterwards, if you like."

Balin looked at Dwalin and then back at Ori. "Yes, please, I really think his memories of that time would be beneficial."

"I think he'd be more than happy to help you with this project."

Balin nodded. "Before we get into the in-depth conversation I need the bathroom."

"Oh," Ori said, standing up, "it's just to the left of where you came in."

Balin rested a heavy hand on Ori's shoulder. "I'm sure I can find it. You stay here and talk with Dwalin. I won't be long."

Ori nodded and turned to look at Dwalin who was staring at him intently.

"You're a Professor of History as well?" Ori asked, stupidly.

"I am, though before I was a professor I served in the Dwarven army. I was at the Battle of Azanulbizar and many others. Following our victory, if you could call it such, I returned to my studies."

"That must make it easier…I mean…you must find that helps in your professing…pro…I mean, when you are teaching. Having a background in such a war must help with your teaching." Ori wished for nothing more than to slip under the table and hide. He would then be able to berate himself silently and not have to look at Dwalin judging him.

"It does."

Ori attempted to smile and wished for something to say that would not make him sound like an idiot.

"And you?" Dwalin asked finally, when Ori was fidgeting with the silence. "How did you come to this place?"

"My mother," Ori started, "moved to the Shire upon my father's death. I studied Dwarfish history at the University of the Iron Hills."

"Such a long way away."

Ori nodded, not sure how to tell this perfect dwarf who had fought in battles that he had run away from his overbearing siblings and the grief that had clung to his mother. "I enjoyed my time there and returned to the Shire after graduating."

"And now you are a librarian?"

"Yes, Bilbo encouraged me to try being a librarian. It suits me, I think, though…" Ori tugged at his ear. "…well, I do miss looking beyond the Shire."

Dwalin smiled broadly. "Perhaps with this you will have an opportunity to do so."

"I do hope," Ori told him.

Balin chose that moment to re-enter the room, with Gandalf walking with him, and they began discussing the project in more minute detail.

**///**


	6. Penguins

**///** **Penguins\\\\\**

Thorin walked into the children's area and settled his nephews with a book each and then walked over to Bilbo and looked down at the hobbit as he counted paper cups.

"Hello, Thorin," Bilbo smiled up at him.

Thorin flushed and fidgeted. "I would like to apologise for my behaviour last week with _that elf_."

"I assume you are talking about Thranduil."

"Yes," Thorin said, unable to hide his disdain.

"You hate him that much?"

"He deserted my dwarves and my Grandfather at our hour of greatest need and we lost the mighty mountain of Erebor as a result."

Bilbo gaped at Thorin for a moment and the dwarf frowned at him.

"You're Thorin Oakenshield?"

Thorin nodded and shrugged. "Yes, Thorin, son of Thráin."

"Oh, I…I had no idea."

Thorin felt his face spreading into a smile without thought.

"Not that it matters, of course. I understand that you and Thranduil have history however…"

Thorin nodded. "This is not the place for it. And I shall not allow it to affect another Storytime."

"That's good, Thorin, thank you."

"What are we making today?" Thorin asked, looking at the supplies Bilbo was putting out and not wanting to leave yet.

"That would be a secret," Bilbo said with a smile, reaching into his trolley and revealing a paper cup penguin.

"What is it?" Fíli asked, rushing over.

"It's a definite secret," Bilbo said, crouching down so that he was the same height as Fíli.

"Well," Fíli said, looking at Bilbo with an openness that Thorin had not expected his nephews to feel for anyone. "If you tell me and I don't tell anyone it could still be a secret."

Bilbo laughed. "I do believe, Fíli, that there is not a secret that exists between you and your brother."

Fíli turned to look at Kíli and nodded. "No, we don't keep secrets."

"Then you will have to work it out when we are looking at the books."

Moments later Legolas ran over and sat down next to Kíli who immediately moved the book so that it was across both of their laps. Thorin turned away from Bilbo to have a word to his nephew when there was a hand on his forearm.

"Thorin," Bilbo said, watching Fíli rush over and sit on his brother's other side.

"Yes, Bilbo?"

"I've no idea what to say now. It certainly isn't my place and I would normally never say anything."

"I do not know the way of children," Thorin said with a quiet sigh. He looked past Legolas and noticed a short she-elf with honey-coloured hair. "That is not Thranduil."

"No," Bilbo said.

There was silence between them for a few long moments and then Thorin turned back to Bilbo.

"Can I help," Thorin asked, looking around.

"No, I am mostly done."

Thorin nodded but he didn't really want to leave. He could think of no reason to stay though so he turned back to his nephews and went to sit behind them. He looked over Kíli's shoulder and realised that the elf was reading the book to his nephews. Thorin followed along with what Legolas was reading for a few minutes until he felt someone sit next to him. He turned to find Gandalf smiling at him in that irritatingly knowing way that only the grey wizard managed to achieve.

"Thorin," Gandalf said, with a twinkling smile. "I am so pleased you took my suggestion of what to do with your nephews."

Thorin nodded and looked past Gandalf to Bilbo. "Yes, you were quite right, Gandalf, my nephews are enjoying themselves."

"I had a feeling they would fit in well with this group."

"Thranduil was here last week."

Gandalf nodded, running his fingers through his long beard. "Such a shame. Legolas normally attends with his aunt. His mother was lost in battle not long after his birth."

Thorin looked at the she-elf he'd seen earlier. "His aunt?"

"She resides in Rivendell and cares for her nephew."

"I see."

Gandalf looked down at the three children sitting and reading and smiled. "It is good to see the tolerance that now exists between races."

Thorin did not disagree, nor did he wish to ever let his kin forgive the betrayal of Thranduil.

"You are a military dwarf," Gandalf said. "Surely you could see that there was every chance you would all lose your lives to Smaug. Or is this because of the relationship between yourself and Thranduil?"

Thorin grimaced at the reminder.

"Very well, we shall not speak of it," Gandalf said. "Have you heard of the project being undertaken by Balin and Dwalin?"

"Dís is getting involved."

"Will you speak with them?"

"I may."

Gandalf nodded and stood. "Keep a weather eye on Mount Gundabad, Thorin, I think something is brewing in that place."

Thorin stood to follow Gandalf to find the wizard gone. When he turned back Bilbo was sitting on his seat, looking at the children gathered in front of him and they were doing their starting rhyme. Thorin had no choice but to sit down again and wait out the Storytime happening in front of him. Not even the story of a penguin and his friend in a row boat could drag his mind from the thought of what could be brewing in Gundabad.

**///**


	7. Planning

**///** **Planning\\\\\**

"Hello," said a gruff voice that made Ori immediately turn. He twisted around and lost his footing, stumbling to the side and into the shelf.

"Hi," Ori said weakly in response.

"I did not intend to startle you," Dwalin said, ducking his head.

Ori shook his head. "It's…I'm…what can I do for you?"

"I was hoping to speak to you about the schedule for the interviews."

"Oh," Ori said, looking back at the shelving and frowning up at Dwalin. "Was I expecting you?"

"No," Dwalin said, his mouth moving into a half-smile. Ori felt his own mouth widen into a smile in response. "I am giving a talk this evening at the University of Bree."

Ori's eyes brightened. "Can anyone attend?"

"Would you like to?" Dwalin asked.

Ori nodded and then ducked his head. "Yes."

"I'd like it if you could come. Perhaps I could take you to dinner at the The Prancing Pony after I am done?"

"Yes," Ori said immediately.

Dwalin smiled at him and Ori stared back dumbly for a moment and then shook himself and blinked.

"Would you like to come into the office and we can schedule some dates?"

"Lead the way, Ori."

Ori nodded and started walking back towards the office. He lead Dwalin around the ostentatious display Sméagol had done on the seven dwarves that apparently received rings of power from Sauron before he became the Dark Lord of Mordor. Ori thought that Sméagol was just a little too obsessed with the old tales of the Dark Lord Sauron and his rings of power.

"This is an interesting display," Dwalin said, stopping to look at it.

"It's…" Ori shook his head and trailed off.

"Inappropriate for a library like this?"

"Yes," Ori said, looking down at the books. "We can't even work out why he's done it."

Dwalin picked up one of the pictures that was part of the display and frowned.

"What?" Ori said, stepping forward to look around him as he couldn't see over his shoulder.

"This is not Balíuk of the Broadbeams."

"What?" Ori asked, reaching out for the photo.

"It is his son Fulíuk."

"Are you certain?" Ori asked.

"I am," Dwalin said, stepping back.

"Oh," Ori said, "this is terrible."

"It is an easy mistake to make."

"No, you don't understand," Ori said. "Sméagol will be most displeased when I tell him he is wrong."

"He is your boss?"

"No," Ori said, sighing. "He is a horrible little hobbit who is vicious and does not take well to criticism."

"I shall tell him," Dwalin said, taking the photo. "Take me to him."

"You don't need to do that," Ori said, following behind Dwalin.

"I'm a historian, yes I do."

Ori couldn't resist beaming at the other dwarf's back and rushing forward to lead the way. "Come through my office, I'll pull up my calendar."

Dwalin followed close behind Ori. "Lead the way, Ori."

"You don't have to…" Ori said, twisting around to look up into Dwalin's eyes. "If you will give me the photo. I shouldn't have said anything – we work together and-"

Dwalin gripped Ori's elbow, halting his process and smiled at the younger dwarf. "I would be most pleased to help you, Ori."

Ori flushed, caught in Dwalin's gaze. The other dwarf was looking at him so openly and Ori felt like Dwalin was riding into battle for him. Dwalin smiled down at him broadly and squeezed Ori's elbow before he let go.

"Right," Ori said, taking a step back and leading Dwalin through behind the circulation desk and into the workroom. Ori took Dwalin on a quick tour, showing him everything and stalling against the meeting with Sméagol.

"Where is your desk?" Dwalin asked. He seemed completely unaware of the attention he was being paid by everyone else in the workroom – especially that of Éomund.

"This way," Ori said, shaking his head at Éomund and ushering Dwalin into their office. "This is our office. Dwalin, I'd like you to meet Bilbo Baggins."

Bilbo immediately stood up and walked over, bowing to Dwalin. "Bilbo Baggins, at your service."

"Dwalin, son of Fundin, at yours."

Bilbo smiled brightly at him. "Are you here for your project?"

"And to talk tonight at the University of Bree."

"How fortuitous."

"I believe so," Dwalin said, smiling at them both.

Sméagol turned around and looked at them.

"And this is Sméagol," Ori said, weakly waving at the hobbit.

"Hello, Sméagol," Dwalin said walking over to the hobbit and handing him the photo. He explained what was wrong with it and Ori looked at Bilbo as Sméagol's face fell into the horrible twisting that he always took just before he started to nastily berate someone.

"What do you know of the Broadbeams," Sméagol asked, standing up.

"I am a historian; I know much of the Rings of Power."

Sméagol sneered. "Then you should know that that is Balíuk."

"No," Dwalin said, crossing his arms across his chest and looking at Sméagol as Ori was sure he must have looked at the orcs he had battled. "It is his son, you can tell because of the cleft in his left ear and the distinctive battle beads in his beard. This one is for his battle against the elves of Lothlorian and this one is to mark his promotion to commander of the legions of the Broadbeams which was not used until after Balíuk was already the King of his mountain."

Sméagol frowned and looked at the photo again.

Bilbo's eyes opened wide and Ori bit at his bottom lip. They both watched what was happening avidly as Sméagol's face turned a peculiar colour. Dwalin smiled down at the hobbit and turned back to Ori with a soft smile.

"Ori, shall we organise those appointments?"

"Yes," Ori said, bounding forward immediately. "Please, sit down and we'll work it out."

"We'll organise a time to talk as well," Bilbo offered, returning to his work which Ori noted seemed to be the creation of a turtle made out of buttons and a paper plate.

"That would be appreciated, Master Baggins," Dwalin said, sitting in the offered chair and smiling up at Ori until the younger dwarf sat.

As soon as Ori sat, Sméagol stood and walked swiftly from the room.

"That's going to come back and be a nightmare," Bilbo said, shaking his head.

"It was not Balíuk of the Broadbeams," Dwalin said. "How can he learn if he does not hear about his mistakes?"

"Sméagol does not work to logic," Bilbo said.

Dwalin looked at Ori.

"It will be fine," Ori lied. "Now, let's look at my calendar."

When they had organised dates for Dwalin to return and begin the interviews, Ori lead Dwalin from the workroom. As Ori stood at the library's doors they agreed to meet later that evening. He returned to his office to Bilbo's knowing smile.

"A date?" Bilbo asked.

Ori flushed and nodded. "I believe so."

"How wonderful. He certainly looked at you as though he wished to take you on a date."

"You believe so?" Ori asked, excited.

Bilbo nodded. "I do."

"I didn't think he would be interested. Not after our first meeting."

"You're much too charming for your own good," Bilbo said with a shrug.

Ori shook his head. "And he stood up to Sméagol."

Bilbo nodded. "Obviously you're going to have to bond with him."

Ori flushed and turned back to his computer. Bilbo smiled at his back and then turned back to what he was doing. His mother had always told him to trust his instincts and his instincts told him that Dwalin was interested in their local history librarian and was a good dwarf. Bilbo was looking forward to watching their relationship unfold.

**///**


	8. Absence

**///** **Absence\\\\\**

_"The ants go marching two by two,"_ Bilbo sang under his breath as he set up Storytime. _"The little one stopped to tie his shoe and they all went marching, down and around."_

"Is that still stuck in your head?"

Bilbo turned around and smiled up at Elrond. "Yes, I only have to replace The Gaffer for one Rhyme Time and I've got something stuck in my head for a week."

"Are you going to do it today?" Arwen asked, skipping over to smile at Bilbo before she skipped away again.

"I don't think so."

"What are we doing today?" Aragon asked, standing stoically next to Arwen who was twirling around.

"That's a secret," Bilbo said, winking at the boy.

Arwen laughed. "I bet we can work it out, come on Aragon, we'll read a book and spy on Master Bilbo."

"Elves do not spy," Elrond said, following his daughter and the orphan she had long ago decided was her very best friend. "We watch the world."

"Spy," Arwen whispered to Aragon. Bilbo watched as his face softened though he never lost the serious line to his mouth.

Bilbo hadn't been able to work the boy out at first when he started coming to Storytime with the odd man dressed in black that had brought him the first few times. He still wasn't sure what to make of him – he had never met a child that was so serious. Then on his third visit Elrond and Arwen had returned after visiting with Arwen's grandmother and the bubbly elf had decided to sit next to Aragon. Then grabbed his hand to pull him over to the craft tables. And pulled him over to read a book as soon as they were finished making their craft. Not long after that Elrond had started bringing Aragorn to Storytime and even now Bilbo wasn't sure he'd ever met such a stoic, serious little boy. Bilbo had to admit he was almost unreadable but he at least enjoyed their silly little activities a little more now.

Bilbo kept setting out the craft, making sure that each of the tables had everything they needed as well as putting out his books. He was tempted to turn around and see if Thorin had arrived yet but the dwarf often came over and spoke to him when he arrived ahead of time. But even when he was completely done he still hadn't heard the gruff, deep voice from behind him. He felt a kernel of disappointment curling in his stomach when he realised.

Bilbo turned around and smiled down at the children that were sitting on the large mats spread across the smooth stone floor. He couldn't see Fíli or Kíli anywhere. The hobbit fiddled with the books and rhymes on his whiteboard before he sat down next to it. He pulled his pocket watch from the little pocket of his green waistcoat and checked the time. He smiled out at the group and got them all started even without the trio of dwarves.

He kept expecting them to come in…Thorin rushing through the library, carrying his nephews like he had the first time Bilbo had seen them. They didn't come through the first book, nor the second, and by the third one he knew that they wouldn't be coming. He shook his head as he handed out the shaker eggs and reminded himself that no one came every week and it wouldn't be that surprising for Thorin to miss a session. He ran through his body parts shaker song and wondered why this should be any different from when Elrond would miss sessions or when Boromir missed them. There was only so much denial he could force upon himself before he had to admit, as he started handing out stickers at the end, that he might have a crush on the warrior dwarf.

He smiled and focussed on the children working or leaving, knowing he needed to go and find Ori.

**///**


	9. Sméagol

**///** **Sméagol\\\\\**

"I'm just so annoyed at him," Ori said, fiddling with the lanyard around his neck – it was made of a thin linked pattern of yellow and white gold that his older brothers had given him when he had been hired at Shire Library.

"What did he do this time?" Haldir asked, swivelling around in his chair at the desk.

Ori made a face. "It's…so stupid."

"Is it about what happened earlier?" Haldir asked, keeping his voice low.

Ori shook his head. "I shouldn't have said anything to you."

Haldir nodded. "I hope you are talking to that dwarf of yours about him at least."

Ori flushed.

Haldir looked as amused as an elf ever did. "You have been most distracted since he visited the library."

Ori couldn't keep himself from smiling – Dwalin had come to visit him three times since the night of their first date. And the previous weekend Ori had travelled to see him. He knew he had been quite giddy by the time had come home on Sunday but it was now Thursday night and Sméagol had spent the morning telling the room at large how pointless he felt local history was at the Shire Library without _actually_ saying a thing. Ori wanted to scream and turn around and beat him with the large Warhammer that Dwalin kept above his fireplace. Yet, there was nothing that he could actually say to anyone because Sméagol never said that Local History was pointless or that the project they were undertaking to collect dwarfish history was without value as it had nothing to do with hobbits. He never said that he thought the Shire should never have welcomed the dwarves fleeing Erebor and yet everyone knew that was how he felt – including their dwarfish co-workers.

Ori had never, in his life, disliked another being as much as he hated Sméagol. And he had to sit in an office with him, hating him, every day. He had tried when Sméagol had first been hired to be friendly with the short little hobbit but unlike every hobbit that he had ever met Sméagol was a horrible, hateful little being. He had treated Ori like his personal assistant when he'd first arrived – or, at least, he had tried to until Ori had lost his good nature and had snapped at Sméagol. The hobbit had immediately run past Gandalf to his boss Saruman and had complained about Ori. Ever since Gandalf had told him that he was handling the Sméagol situation but nothing ever seemed to change and Ori was beginning to hate coming in to work in the morning. And he looked forward to days when the hobbit wouldn't be at work so that he knew he would have a nice day.

"Ori," Bilbo said, rushing over to them.

"What's wrong?" Ori asked, looking beyond Bilbo to the children's area.

"Can you come and…well, help me pack up."

Ori looked behind him and the large group of mothers, father, other adults, and their children that were moving towards the circulation area. "Can you not get someone else to help? It's just that I am on desk."

"No," Bilbo said, his eyes wide. Then he looked past Ori and shook himself. "Of course, of course, I'll just go and sort it out and we can have lunch later."

Ori frowned at him and nodded. Bilbo turned and rushed back towards the children's area. Ori looked at Haldir for one moment before he turned around and started helping all of the beings that were leaving Storytime.

"Why don't you grab the tablet and go down there?" Haldir asked, looking at Ori quickly as he helped a customer.

Ori shook his head. "I can't leave you alone out here. I'll go and see him when Sméagol comes out to relieve me."

Haldir nodded and focussed on what he was doing. Ori turned back and smiled at another customer but half of his thoughts were on Bilbo and the expression on his face when he'd come over. The moment Sméagol came out for the shift swap Ori walked towards the children's area to find Bilbo methodically twisting down the glue sticks and putting the lids on firmly. Ori knew it must be bad because Bilbo had everything from his Storytime trolley spread out on the table in front of him.

Ori walked over slowly and stopped in front of Bilbo. "Is this bad enough for you to want to tip out all of the crayons so that I can put them all back in the containers making sure that the colours are evenly spread out."

Bilbo looked up at him and nodded.

"What happened?"

Bilbo made a face and tipped the crayons out. He started picking out all of the red ones and Ori sighed, pulling out the blue ones. He knew it would have to be bad if Bilbo was reorganising the crayons. When he had them all he started evenly spreading them out between the different coloured containers that Bilbo used.

"I have a crush on one of the Storytime adults," Bilbo said quietly as he started pulling out the purple crayons.

Ori froze. "Who? It's not Thranduil, is it? Because he's always so…elfish when he comes to the desk. Elrond? Oh," Ori said, suddenly _knowing_ who it must be, "it's Thorin."

Bilbo nodded sadly and started on the yellow crayons.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Bilbo told him, shaking his head. "It's not important. It's never going to come to anything so we don't need to talk about it."

"Bilbo…"

Bilbo shrugged. "I didn't know I had a crush on him and now that I know I can ignore it."

Ori frowned at him but nodded and went back to helping him sort crayons. Then he assisted in organising the cupboard where Bilbo kept his books and samples for Storytime. Ori knew he should be working on his next blog on local history that was due later that night, or some cataloguing, or really anything else and yet he knew he couldn't really leave Bilbo so he helped Bilbo ignore everything else to organise his part of the library.

**///**


	10. Dís

**///** **Dís\\\\\**

"Master Baggins!"

Bilbo turned around and looked across the library to where someone had yelled his name. He saw Fíli and Kíli waving at him enthusiastically from where they were standing next to a blonde she-dwarf. Bilbo smiled at them and lifted his arm to wave.

"They shouldn't be yelling in the library," Sméagol said, startling Bilbo who hadn't realised he was there.

Bilbo rolled his eyes and watched as the she-dwarf smiled before she summoned Fíli and Kíli and walked into the small meeting room where Ori and Dwalin were holding the interviews. Bilbo wondered if that was their mother – the sister of Thorin who had missed the last three weeks of Storytime. Bilbo wanted to say he hadn't been counting and that he hadn't been hoping to see the dwarf every time he set up his cart for Storytime. Bilbo had never had a crush on one of the Storytime adults before and he was not sure how to deal with it now that he did. Perhaps he had made it obvious the last time that Thorin had attended and that's why he hadn't come back. However, Gandalf had been hanging around during that Storytime and in Bilbo's experience if the wizard saw anything like that he could not resist being involved in some way.

"They must be from Storytime to think it's appropriate to be so loud in the library," Sméagol said in his whining voice from behind Bilbo.

"Yes, Sméagol, isn't it wonderful how much they enjoy coming to the library." Bilbo turned and smiled brightly at Sméagol.

The other hobbit shook his head and glared. Bilbo smiled – the other hobbit, who was already a nasty little thing, had been exceptionally terrible for the last few weeks. Bilbo had been trying to work out what it was that could have annoyed him so much when he had noticed the ring that Sméagol wore around his middle finger. He knew it was a replica of the gold ring that Sauron had worn which had been destroyed when the Dark Lord fell. Bilbo had always expected that Dwalin pointing out Sméagol's mistake would come back on Ori in some way however the dwarf had been in a bubble of lust and fun and had been almost giddy since that first date with Dwalin and had provided no reaction to almost everything that Sméagol did. Ori had almost slipped out of his romance induced haze earlier in the week when Sméagol had, according to Haldir, spent an hour implying that local history at the library was pointless. Then Dwalin had arrived for their first round of interviews and Ori had returned to blissful ignorance.

Sméagol huffed at Bilbo. Bilbo smiled wider and walked past Sméagol and towards the children's area where he needed to be setting up the Toddler Tails session. Óin normally ran the session but he had taken the day off to spend with his brother and nephew. Bilbo would have to remember to give Gimli a birthday sticker when he saw him next.

Bilbo organised the tables, and flicked through the books while he listened to people filter in behind him and chat. He knew they would be disappointed that Óin wasn't here – they always were.

"Master Baggins!"

Bilbo turned around and saw Kíli rushing over with Fíli trailing behind him. "Hello, Kíli, Fíli."

"We've come for Kíli," Fíli said.

"That's wonderful," Bilbo said, smiling at Fíli. "But not with Uncle Thorin this time." Bilbo held his breath after he asked; he could feel his heart beating too fast as he tried to act normally while he waited for their response.

Fíli shook his head. "Uncle Thorin is…he has gone off to fight in some fool war again."

Bilbo bit his lip and looked past Fíli to where the she-dwarf was standing. He had a feeling that those words may have been overheard.

"Fíli," she said, shaking her head and making the metal beads in her intricately braided beard jingle.

"You said it first," Fíli defended.

"That does not mean that you should repeat it."

Fíli looked up at Bilbo and smiled. "I miss him."

Bilbo smiled at him. "Hopefully he will be home soon then."

"He will be home when he has finished what he set out to finish," the she-dwarf said.

Bilbo smiled at her gently. "Hello, my name's Bilbo."

"You're Bilbo?" She asked, her eyebrows lifting. "My sons have talked about you of course but they called you Master Baggins."

"I introduce myself as Bilbo; however, Thorin encourages them not to call me that."

"Yes, my brother does have very definite ideas about some things. I suppose it is because he is a dwarf who should have been a King."

Bilbo stared at the she-dwarf for a moment – unsure what to say.

"But my brother talked of a Bilbo," she said with a knowing smile.

Bilbo smiled back at her, thankful for the change in topic. "I'm pleased he has enjoyed coming to Storytime."

"Yes, and I'm pleased that I brought my boys to this session."

Bilbo nodded. "It's more aimed at Kíli's age, though I'm sure that Fíli will enjoy it too. They are delightfully close."

The she-dwarf nodded. "They are. I shall have to ask my brother to bring them to both sessions when he returns."

"That would be good," Bilbo said quickly, without thinking.

"It would," she agreed. "It has been wonderful to meet you, Bilbo, but I think your session is supposed to have started."

Bilbo turned and looked at the large crowd of children that had gathered on their mats. "Yes, thank you…"

"Dís," she offered, smiling at him.

"Thank you, Dís, it's lovely to have met you too."

Bilbo turned and rushed to the front of the area and sat, smiling out at all of the young faces. He felt relieved to know that he had not driven Thorin away though he couldn't not ignore the curl of worry he felt for the dwarf. He would have to assume he would see the warrior dwarf again soon. He started his session determined to be positive.

**///**


	11. Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that I've caught up with my pre-written sections this will probably drop down to updates every two days.
> 
> It's been brought to my attention that I haven't been clear if this is a modern AU or if it's set in Middle Earth and that's really because it's something of a fusion – it is Middle Earth with some modern twists but Smaug (a dragon) still took over Erebor and the elves are still elves even if they have computers and are moving around much more freely than they did in the books. I hope that clears things up a bit.

**///** **Past\\\\\**

Dwalin walked into the library with a heavy bag over his shoulder. He worked to force the smile he'd been wearing most of the journey from Ori's little hobbit-hole off of his face. He had spent the night with Ori and the weekend that led up to it, as he had spent more than a few of the weekends since he had first taken the younger dwarf out after his lecture. Dwalin had never expected to have met a dwarf – he had long ago given up on meeting anyone quite like Ori, or anyone at all who would look at him like the librarian looked at him. Dwalin wanted to smile at the mere thought of Ori but he had never felt overly comfortable being open with his emotions. Ori had had to leave first thing that morning for a meeting so he had left Dwalin still reeling from what the younger dwarf could do with his mouth. Dwalin had left the hobbit-hole to the twitching of every curtain that he had been able to see clearly. He had thought they would grow tired of it after a few months however the hobbits and dwarves that lived near Ori continued to spy upon them. Dwalin nodded at the elf who was standing at the large, intricately carved, wooden desk just inside of the library's door. However, it was the Man that reached into one of the drawers and rushed around the desk to see him through to their meeting rooms.

"I'll walk you down," he said.

"Thank you…" Dwalin faded out – he recognised the Man's face but could not recall his name.

"Éomund," the Man offered, with a welcoming smile. Dwalin blanked out his expression recognising the look on the Man's face. "How are your interviews going?"

"Well," Dwalin offered, "Ori and I have had a large amount of support from the community here in the Shire."

If Dwalin has hoped that mentioning Ori would make the man stop letting his eyes roam across Dwalin's body he was mistaken.

"I have seen a large number of dwarves coming though," Éomund said, smiling at Dwalin and stopping at the glass door to the room that Dwalin and Ori had been using. He didn't open the door however.

"We've been interviewing hobbits as well," Dwalin pointed out. "Did you have the key?"

"Of course," Éomund said, turning around and unlocking the door and then walking in.

"Thank you, Éomund, but I don't want to keep you."

The Man shook his head and cocked his hip out against the table as he watched Dwalin. "I've got the pager – they'll let me know if they need me. Is there anything that I can do to help you?"

"No, I'm capable of unpacking and setting up myself and I'm sure that Ori will be along in a few moments."

Éomund sat down at the table and smiled at Dwalin. "Ori let slip to Bilbo that you fought at the Battle of Azanulbizar."

Dwalin frowned. "You were eavesdropping?"

"They were talking in the lunchroom."

Dwalin stared at Éomund silently.

"I have always been interested in military campaigns," Éomund explained, with a gleeful little smile. "And perhaps I can pick your brain a little about such a battle."

Dwalin clenched his jaw and felt his nostrils flare as he took a deep breath. He hated that curiosity that he could see on the Man's face – his time in the military was not something he was ashamed of but it was neither something that he felt should be the topic of such sensationalistic interest. He appreciated that about Ori – the dwarf knew what Dwalin had done and had asked questions but he never looked to Dwalin to supply him with something that glorified war and that was what he could see in Éomund's face. He wanted the stories that glossed over the blood soaking his boots and the smell of copper and death that sometimes still woke him up at night. Dwalin would go back to war for his King, his dwarves, or to defend his beliefs tomorrow but he would not pander to the likes of Éomund.

"No," Dwalin said firmly, allowing a little of his stance and expression to return to the heavy-set he remembered from his time in battle with Thorin Oakenshield.

"Oh," Éomund said, stepping back.

Dwalin did not lessen his expression, staring at Éomund silently until the Man stood up and left. Dwalin turned to his bag as soon as he had left. He began unpacking his supplies and tried to push the conversation from his mind. The door swung open behind him and Dwalin turned.

Ori rushed through the door and smiled at Dwalin. "I'm sorry I'm late, the meeting went long."

"Not a problem," Dwalin told him, feeling his shoulders start to relax now that Ori was there.

"What's the matter?" Ori asked, dropping his items on the desk and walking over to Dwalin.

"The Man who let me in to the room," Dwalin said.

"Éomund."

"Yes, him, he wished to know about the Battle of Azanulbizar."

"Yes?"

"For sensational details – like so many before him."

"I know that you hate that," Ori said, stepping even closer to Dwalin. "What did he say?"

"Nothing of note but his interest was like so many that have come before who believe that my history and my proximity to death and battle exist solely for their enjoyment. I did perhaps react to harshly to his curiosity however he had not I did not appreciate his disrespect to you or our relationship either."

"What?"

"He made his interest clear when he knows of our relationship.'

"I'm going to go and talk to him right now," Ori said, frowning at Dwalin as his face grew red with annoyance. "He had no right to come in here and make you feel uncomfortable or to-"

"My Ori," Dwalin said, reaching out to encircle Ori's wrist.

Ori froze and looked up at Dwalin with colour high on his cheeks.

Dwalin looked down and smiled at Ori. "I appreciate your vexation, and your desire to protect me, but I made sure he left knowing I would not be open to speaking to him again.

Ori nodded. "Your Ori?"

Dwalin smiled, and stroked the inside of Ori's wrist. "If you would like."

"My Dwalin?"

"Yes, I think I should like that very much."

Ori's eyes darted around the room and then bounced up on his tip-toes and kissed Dwalin swiftly. "Come back to my dwarf-hole tonight?"

Dwalin felt his smile turn lascivious and Ori's eyes twinkled even while he blushed gently.

"Bella Baggins called them that," Bilbo explained, walking into the room with them. "When she helped dwarves move to the Shire we discovered that not all hobbit-holes were quite big enough for your kind so a number of hobbits and dwarves set themselves to making ones that suited the dwarves better. And thus we gained dwarf-holes. Though I do appreciate the flirtation I was able to witness."

"Bilbo," Ori said, stepping away from Dwalin minimally.

"Your first interview is here but I saw the expression on Éomund's face when he came back to the desk so I thought I best to come and check first."

"Éomund can be very…"

"Abrasive," Bilbo offered. "And he rather loves to make it known that he enjoys sex with as many races and genders as he can manage. Ori is much too nice to say it even with everything that happened with Nori."

Ori smiled at Bilbo. "I'm not feeling very kind towards him at the moment, if I ever do."

"Nori?" Dwalin asked.

"He and Éomund had a romance a few years ago when Éomund was still married to his wife. Nori did not know and…it was quite unpleasant."

"I did not know," Dwalin said, dropping his hand down to twin his fingers with Ori's.

"That is not why I…he should not try to get information out of you about the war. You should see him with Sméagol – they are quite as thick as thieves and twice as horrible."

"And yet Éomer and Éowyn are delightful," Bilbo threw in, feeling rather useless in the room.

"Due entirely to Theodwyn," Ori said, smiling at Bilbo.

Bilbo nodded. "I will send your interview down in a few minutes then."

"Thank you, Bilbo," Dwalin said – he liked the hobbit and if what his brother had told him that Dís suspected was occurring between Thorin and Bilbo was true he thought that his King had made a very nice choice.

"Just don't let Gandalf see you," Bilbo said as he walked out of the room. "He would be completely smug for days and would take great delight in mentioning how wonderful he thinks the two of you are together."

"He already does," Ori pointed out.

"He will be much worse if he catches you," Bilbo told them, half out of the room. "Trust me; you hadn't started here when Haldir met his wife. He was almost insufferable."

"He generally is," Ori told Dwalin when the door was shut and Bilbo was happily chatting to customers as he walked away.

"He did not seem altogether there when I met him," Dwalin said.

Ori laughed. "That's his camouflage. He's brilliant and a wizard – he is quite possibly controlling all of us and we don't know it yet."

Dwalin looked at Ori to gauge how serious he was and frowned when he realised that the other dwarf believed every word he had said. He wondered exactly what Gandalf was doing as Manager of a Library Service if he was what Bilbo and Ori believed him to be.

"You don't need to worry about him," Ori said. "Let's unpack and get ready. Then tonight you will come home with me and we'll talk more about me being _My Ori_."

Dwalin nodded. "Yes, we shall."

**///**


	12. The Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I'm posting this the actor who played Faramir is spruiking Masterfoods.

**///** **The Return \\\\\**

"Why do we go to the doctor?" Bilbo asked the children in front of them. There was a commotion near where the shelves started for the junior area and when Bilbo looked up he saw a tall, male dwarf with a long mane of grey flecked black hair and a robust beard moving towards the Storytime group slowly. Bilbo smiled brightly when he realised it was Thorin. The dwarf had a limp to the left and was carrying both of his nephews under his arms as he rushed, as quickly as he could, into the children's area.

"When we are sick," Arwen called out. Bilbo startled and looked back down at the eager faces staring at him.

Thorin dropped both of his nephews as he hit the edge of the Storytime area and Fíli grabbed his brother's hand and started for the mats.

"When my cat had parasites we took it to the vet," Pippin Took told the group. "Vets are like doctors."

"I've got huge parasites!" Kíli offered sliding on the mat and to the front of the group.

Bilbo bit down hard on his lip and forced himself not to laugh.

"I've got bigger ones," Gimli told him, throwing an arm over Kíli's shoulder.

Bilbo rubbed a hand down his face. "That's right, Arwen, we go to the doctor when we're sick."

Bilbo opened the first book and smiled at Thorin brightly before he started to read them all a story about a lady with a crocodile purse. He made it through the rest of the stories and two or three songs and was incredibly pleased when he was finally able to stand up and move the tables so that the kids could all get to their craft. As soon as they were all settled he walked as casually as possible towards Thorin. He stopped next to the dwarf and smiled down at Fíli and Kíli.

"What a wonderful job," Bilbo said to them.

Thorin turned awkwardly and looked at Bilbo. "Hello, Bilbo."

"Hello, Thorin, so nice to see you again."

Thorin bowed his head and looked up at Bilbo from under his lashes. "It is good to be back in the Shire."

"But not home?"

Thorin shook his head. "This is not home. My home is currently being ruled by a dragon. I will get it back one day."

Bilbo nodded. "I believe that."

"Uncle Thorin," Fíli said, looking at them both, "is going to reclaim Erebor one day."

"Then we will be King," Kíli told him.

Bilbo smiled. "I think you shall make an excellent King, Kíli."

"No," Fíli said. "I will be King, Kíli can be Queen."

Bilbo let out a small laugh. "Perhaps Prince?"

"That's not as good as Queen," Fíli said.

"No," Bilbo conceded. "It might not be as good as Queen."

"Ridiculous," Thorin said, looking down at his nephews. "When I reclaim Erebor, I shall be King. After I die Fíli will be King and Kíli, you, shall rule beside him as a Prince and trusted Advisor. That is how it shall be."

Fíli turned to his brother. "Never mind, we can do what we want, Kíli."

"I want a crown," Kíli said.

"And I'm sure you shall have one," Bilbo said, smiling at them both.

"I hear that I am to come to another session at the library for Kíli," Thorin said, pulling Bilbo's attention back to him.

"That would be Toddler Tales," Bilbo said. "I don't run those sessions but Óin is wonderful."

"You don't run them?" Thorin asked.

"No."

"Then I see no reason in going."

"Oh," Bilbo said, without thinking as he tried to think of what to say. "No, Óin is wonderful."

"As wonderful as you?"

"He is very good," a woman said, looking over at them. "I take my Faramir to those sessions and bring Boromer here."

"I'm sure he is," Thorin said, inclining his head.

"And I'm sure that Kíli would get a lot out of it. We plan the programme to be in between the Rhyme Time and Storytime levels. It's aimed at younger children with less focus and a different level of literacy. It focusses on more basic knowledge and skills as well as putting an emphasis on a different level of fine motor skills."

Thorin nodded. "You think I should take him?"

"Of course…if you have time, I think it would be wonderful."

"Then I shall."

Bilbo smiled, pleased that Thorin would be in the library more. Just then Arwen rushed over to him and asked for sticky tape. Bilbo smiled and had to slip away from Thorin's side and back into his job, floating around the tables, and helping everyone. What felt like moments later, Fíli and Kíli were walking over to him wearing their old-fashioned doctor's headbands. Fíli had an odd stethoscope made of scrap paper around his neck.

"What have you made, Fíli?"

"A stealth-oscope."

"Stethoscope," Thorin corrected.

"It looks wonderful," Bilbo complimented as he smoothed a sticker over the back of Fíli's hand.

"Kíli didn't want one," Fíli explained, tugging his brother forward and holding out his hand.

"I'm a miner," Kíli said, pretending to use a hammer with his free hand.

"Yes," Bilbo said, giving him a sticker as well. "You look like a wonderful miner."

"Dwarves _are_ the best miners," Fíli said confidently.

"That is true," Bilbo agreed. He could see Boromir, Éowyn, and Éomer waiting behind Fíli and he knew he needed to move on.

"Thank you," Fíli said.

"Thanks!" Kíli yelled.

Bilbo looked up at Thorin. "Thank you all for coming, we'll see you next time?"

"Yes," Thorin said firmly, leading his nephews away.

Bilbo forced himself to turn back to Boromir with a bright smile.

**///**


	13. Gandalf

**///** **Gandalf\\\\\**

Gandalf opened his locked drawer and pulled out the heavy metal key, twirling it around in his fingers. He knew it was almost time. He put the key on his desk and pulled out the parchment that had been lying under it for several long years. He unfolded the parchment and opened his ears, listening to his Children's Librarian flirting awkwardly with Thorin Oakenshield. He knew Bilbo would be important in Thorin's coming mission even if Saruman would not admit to the value of hobbits. So many beings in Middle Earth discounted their smallest brothers as incapable of being involved in shaping the future. Gandalf knew better; if it had not been for Bella Baggins he did not know how long the dwarves of Erebor would have continued to languish without homes but it would have been far longer than the half-century they were forced to live like that. Gandalf knew something was coming, there was a shadow at the edges of his vision that he could not account for. He would turn his gaze to the East and he knew that there was something there that was bidding its time and hiding from him and the light. He had known that Thorin and his lost mountain would be one of the bends in the road that would shape the future of Middle Earth the moment that Thráin had given him the map.

Gandalf froze, pulled from his thoughts, when he felt the very air around him change. He stood swiftly and opened his door to watch Galadriel gliding towards him. She glowed more beautifully as she saw him and Gandalf noticed that even Sméagol looked altered in the light that the Lady of Lothlórien produced.

Galadriel stopped in front of Gandalf. "It is good to see you, Mithrandir."

"And you, My Lady."

Galadriel smiled and stepped into his office.

"Would you care for a cup of tea?"

"Your tea," she asked, "or hobbit tea."

"My tea of course, My Lady."

Galadriel sat down in one of the intricately carved chairs before his fireplace and smiled at him. "Then I should enjoy a cup of tea."

Gandalf stepped in and pulled the door closed behind him. He thought a moment on one of his spells for keeping out prying ears and then walked to the fire and turned his large, heavy pot to the flames.

"It is a surprise to see you here, My Lady."

Galadriel smiled at him softly and shook her head. "I travelled to the Shire to see Arwen."

"She is currently at Storytime."

"Yes, and Elrond had such interesting things to tell me when I arrived."

Gandalf poured them both cups of tea and added a drop of his special ingredient from the green glass bottle that he had hidden behind his statistics folder.

"Perhaps another drop?" Galadriel asked, shifting on her chair.

Gandalf nodded and did as asked before he placed the tea in front of Galadriel and sat down.

"There is a darkness in the East."

Gandalf nodded. "I've felt it."

"And you have baited the heir to the Throne Under the Mountain to your library?"

Gandalf looked at his table where the key and map were sitting. "I believe that Erebor could be light in the darkness that is coming."

"If they can banish the dragon, made no easier now than it was when he took the mountain with fire and death."

"I believe with the correct company they could reclaim their mountain and I believe that it needs to be once again under the control of dwarves that have always proven to be so stalwart and immovable."

Galadriel nodded, sipping at her tea. "Dwarves were one of the only races to resist the pull of the One Ring."

Gandalf nodded and looked at Galadriel. "Do you believe that the One Ring was destroyed?"

"We were told it was."

"And do you believe it?"

Galadriel stared at him intently, and Gandalf knew she could see inside of him in a way that was more comforting than it should be. Galadriel inclined her head gently and Gandalf knew it was his cue to share his suspicions.

"I have noticed unsettling activity in Gundabad and Dol Guldur."

"I have sensed something dark moving towards Mirkwood," Galadriel admitted.

"And is there any news from Thranduil?"

"Not recently," Galadriel admitted. "However, he rarely leaves Mirkwood since the passing of his wife."

"He occasionally travels to the Shire to attend Storytime with Legolas."

"Since Thorin has been attending?"

"Once, and Bilbo Baggins ensured they were both forced to act like the adults they are."

"A hobbit?"

"Yes, a hobbit."

"You still believe they will be instrumental in forming the future?"

Gandalf smiled at her. "Hobbits are overlooked and the overlooked are so often the ones that accomplish the most."

"I do believe that elves can no longer lead Middle Earth."

"I believe we all need to lead Middle Earth into the future."

Galadriel nodded. "Yes, perhaps that is true."

They sat quietly drinking their tea for several long minutes.

"I see what you are doing, Mithrandir, bringing together dwarves such as Balin, Dwalin, and Thorin together with your hobbits. I can see what you wish to accomplish."

"And?"

"I wish to know if the darkness coming is what we fear."

"As do I."

Galadriel nodded and stood up. "I should be getting back to my granddaughter."

"A lovely elf is Arwen."

"Yes, she is wonderful."

"And perhaps you shall see Thorin and Bilbo when you are out there."

"You meddle, Mithrandir." Galadriel smiled her goodbye and swept through the door.

"Yes," Gandalf told the empty room as he stood to hide the map and key once again.

**///**


	14. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

**///** **Planes, Trains, and Automobiles\\\\\**

Fíli rubbed glue on the paper plate and slammed it onto the side of his cardboard box.

"Fíli," Uncle Thorin said, looking uncomfortable as he sat cross-legged on the floor between his two nephews.

"Yes, Uncle?" Fíli asked, peeling stickers from a roll to put on the middle of the paper plate tyres.

Thorin looked down at him and Fíli smiled up at his uncle.

"You need to think about what you want the car to look like at the end," Thorin said, grabbing the glitter glue out of Kíli's hand.

"Like this," Fíli said, turning the box and gluing another paper plate on the other side.

Fíli watched Kíli grab the scissors while he was distracting their uncle and smiled up at Uncle Thorin. Thorin immediately turned to look at Kíli and grabbed the scissors out of his hand.

"How are you two going?" Fíli looked up at Master Baggins and knew his Uncle Thorin would stop paying attention to them for a few minutes.

Uncle Thorin turned to look at Bilbo and got a strange look on his face that Fíli had never seen before.

"Bilbo," Uncle Thorin said.

"Such wonderful cars," Bilbo said, smiling brightly at Fíli.

"It's a tractor," Fíli corrected.

"Then it is a wonderful tractor," Bilbo said, smiling down at him and dropping down to his knees. "What else are you going to put on the front?"

Fíli held up the corrugated cardboard and then looked up at his uncle. "Uncle Thorin…"

Bilbo turned to look at the dwarf and Fíli nudged his brother and made a face to tell the younger dwarf to get on with it before their uncle tried to 'help' them again. Kíli nodded and returned to cutting up pieces of glitter paper to stick on his car. Fíli had no idea why Kíli loved glitter so much – it was cool sometimes, he supposed, but it made no sense to him how much his brother loved it. If Kíli wanted it though, he would help stick it on his car anyway.

"This is an interesting craft," Uncle Thorin told Bilbo awkwardly. Fíli truly wondered how his uncle had any friends at all when he was so bad at talking to people and Fíli _knew_ that his uncle loved talking to the hobbit.

"We had a large number of boxes from a recent delivery and this is fun. The kids get to sit in their creations while we read the stories. It's wonderful, isn't it?"

Fíli looked up to watch Uncle Thorin nod slowly.

Bilbo smiled and laughed.

"You seem very happy today, Bilbo," Uncle Thorin said, shifting awkwardly.

Bilbo nodded. "My cousin, Drogo, informed me that he and his wife are expecting a hobbitling. It is very happy news."

"Blessings be to Mahal for such wondrous news," Thorin told him solemnly.

"Mahal?"

"Aulë," Uncle Thorin corrected. "That is the Elfish name for Mahal."

"Ah yes," Master Baggins said and Fíli noticed his eyes flick over to where Kíli was using the abandoned glitter glue to decorate his car. The hobbit did not try to stop Kíli and Fíli liked him even better for it. "Mahal made the dwarves."

"He did, he made the first of our line – Durin the Deathless."

"What a happy name," Bilbo said with a smile and then continued at a bit of a rush. "You appear to have healed from your recent campaign."

"I am well."

Bilbo's eyes darted around the area and then fell on Uncle Thorin again. Fíli did not understand why the hobbit did not just ask his uncle to play a game so that they could become better friends. Sometimes he did not understand adults at all.

Kíli was looking at his car happily even if he was adding brightly coloured bits of paper to his tyres. Fíli stopped paying attention to what his uncle and the hobbit were doing so that he could finish his tractor now that Kíli was happy.

**///**


	15. The Baggins Legacy

**///The Baggins Legacy\\\\\**

Dwalin pressed his knee into Ori's under the table and smiled at Bolbur as Ori asked the blind dwarf questions.

"I'm a tinker," Bolbur said. "Not anymore but I was."

"Did you tinker after you left Erebor?" Ori asked.

The dwarf smiled gently. "Not until Bella Baggins convinced my boys to move to the Shire."

Ori turned to Bofur who had accompanied his father to the interview. "You and your brothers were the reason that your family moved to the Shire?"

Bofur nodded. "Bella Baggins travelled to Ered Luin with her son and we grew to be friends."

"You know Bilbo?" Ori asked.

"Yes, he and I have been friends for many years."

Ori smiled. "You are his tinker friend? I didn't know your name."

Bofur nodded. "Yes."

"I've seen the clock you made for him – it is amazing."

Bofur dropped his head in pleasure at the praise. Dwalin knocked at Ori's knee under the table and the younger dwarf turned to smile at him before moving on to the next question.

"What made you decide to follow Bella?" Ori asked.

Bofur smiled. "Did you ever have to opportunity to meet Bella?"

"No."

Bofur smiled and it was mirrored on Bolbur's face. "Bella Baggins could have charmed Smaug out of our mountain."

Dwalin quirked an eyebrow at him.

"She was a magnificent hobbit," Bolbur said. "If ever she heard about a fight between hobbit and dwarf she would march down, with Bilbo following at her skirttails, and would not leave until things were resolved. She was a force to be reckoned with."

"I can see her in Bilbo then," Ori said.

"He is a very much his parent's child. There is a great deal of his father in him too," Bolbur told them.

"It was a great loss when they passed," Bofur said, smiling sadly.

Bolbur nodded. "It was a blow to dwarf-hobbit relations of course but she had done so much work to ensure that hobbits and dwarves both felt that the Shire was there home that we survived."

"Would you leave the Shire?" Ori asked.

Bolbur's grew pensive and he was silent for several moments. "If I could return to my home in Erebor I would leave the Shire tomorrow. But until Smaug is evicted I will remain in my new home."

"What do you think of the rumours that Thorin Oakenshield is contemplating leading a company to reclaim his mountain?"

Bofur looked at his father. "I would join him."

"I would greatly like to visit Erebor again. Even though I could not _see_ the mountain I would be able to go into the next journey with a light heart to be back in the Mountain of my forebears."

Dwalin looked at the elderly dwarf and wondered if he would ever get the chance while Ori thanked them both for coming in and gave them the information on the exhibition that would be held in two months.

Bilbo slipped into the room after Bolbur left carrying two bowls. He passed one over to Ori and settled across from the two dwarves. Dwalin had been trying to organise a chance to talk with Bilbo since they had started the interviews and they were almost through all of the dwarves that were interested in being involved. Finally, Bilbo had found time to come and see them but it was his lunch break and he had brought enough for Ori as well.

"Thank you, Bilbo," Ori smiled.

"You're welcome. Sorry, Dwalin, I didn't think to bring some for you this morning."

Dwalin waved the apology away.

"He can share mine," Ori asked, pushing the plate so that it sat between them.

"Thank you," Dwalin said to him quietly.

Ori smiled and ducked his head. "I do like being able to relax finally. It's nice that you know about us, Bilbo."

The hobbit smiled wistfully. "Now, your questions?"

"Yes," Dwalin said, taking the questions and pushing the food towards Ori. "What is your earliest memory of your mother's work with the Dwarves of Erebor?"

"My mother always had dwarves in our hobbit-hole," Bilbo explained to them, nibbling at his lunch.

Dwalin nodded, picking at Ori's elbow.

"She would go and visit dwarves as well. I was never really aware that dwarves had not always been in the Shire until I grew older and travelled with her to the Blue Mountains. By then, however, only the old hobbits who did not like change were still grumbling about the 'dwarf-infestation' or making trouble. I had always had dwarf friends and it was part of my life that dwarves were here. I remember dwarves coming to our hobbit-hole with problems or to share good news with Mama. She often took me with her when she went to visit the dwarves and I remember being there when they finished building the very first dwarf-hole. It was not that different from a hobbit-hole but it was a big day and everyone came out. Gandalf came to the Shire and we had a party that night with fireworks that I can still see – they were more impressive than anything else that I have ever seen."

"Did the hobbits come out to celebrate as well?" Ori asked.

"Oh, yes, everyone was there to celebrate. I remember my mother turning to my father on the way home and telling them that everything would work now – that she'd finally succeeded. I suppose it was a turning point looking back on those times now but at the time I didn't know what was so different about the Shire I was growing up in to the one that she had been born into."

"And what did you know of Erebor?" Dwalin asked.

Bilbo smiled. "I have heard tales of Erebor my whole life. I do believe I used to dream of that lonely mountain. My mother used to tell me that she would like to visit it one day – if she were to live long enough to see it reclaimed however she did not live a long life and I would like to see it in my mother's stead. I have heard so much of the mountain I feel that it is part of my history in some way." Bilbo stopped and waved a hand. "That is silly, isn't it; to think of a place you have never seen as somehow important in your life?"

"No," Dwalin said. "I have never seen the mountain either and I feel it is very important in my life."

"I am not a dwarf and have no real ties to that place. Yet, I would greatly love to see it."

Ori smiled brightly at Dwalin and then turned back to Bilbo. "What do you think of the rumours that Thorin Oakenshield will be leading a company to reclaim the mountain?"

Bilbo looked away for a moment. "If anyone could do it, I am sure it would be him."

"Would you travel with them for the chance to see the mountain?"

Dwalin startled, looking over Bilbo's head to see the wizard – Gandalf, standing in the doorway. He could not understand it; the door had been closed, and Dwalin had not heard it open nor heard the wizard coming but he was now standing in the open doorway casually. Bilbo turned to look at him with surprise.

"Gandalf?"

"If they were in need of a hobbit," the wizard said, "would you accompany them?"

"Why would they need a hobbit?"

Gandalf just smiled at him silently.

"Yes, if he was to need my help I would go…I mean, if the company could benefit from my accompanying them I would be happy to. I think it would be a grand adventure and a chance to see Erebor finally."

"How wonderful," Gandalf said and swept out of the room, the door swinging shut behind him without anyone touching it.

"What was that?" Dwalin asked.

"That was Gandalf," Ori said.

Bilbo nodded with a shrug and turned back to them. "What else would you like to know about Mama?"

Ori went back to asking questions and Dwalin had to force himself to stop thinking of the wizard's visit so that he could focus on the hobbit in front of him.

**///**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think that Bilbo and Thorin are actually going to get together in this now as it's more of a build up with the trip to Erebor being their time to come together. I'm not going to be writing about that though. Only two more chapters to go. The last chapter will be posted on Saturday.


	16. The Ring

**///** **The Ring\\\\\**

Bilbo smiled at Priyänké as the small dwarf picked up a few crayons in each hand and walked over to him. She placed them into the container on the table he was cleaning up and then walked back to her table, repeating the action. He knew she would want to help him wipe down the tables as well so he set himself to collecting all of the little paper offcuts from the craft and putting them in the bin.

Bilbo saw Sméagol walking over, fiddling with something under his shirt and stopped in front of Bilbo. He looked down, with disdain, at Priyänké and then looked at Bilbo. "There is someone at the desk for you."

"Yes?" Bilbo asked.

"They want to talk to you."

Bilbo looked around at the clean-up he was in the middle of and frowned. He nodded though and followed behind Sméagol to the desk anyway. He hoped it wasn't another reference request that could have been completed by almost anyone at desk – except, of course, for Sméagol who wouldn't know how to answer a question that wasn't as simple as do you have a copy of _Where Is The Green Mearas_? Only the week before Sméagol had come to get Bilbo to answer a question about Tales Of The Elves for a male dwarf – it was such a simplistic query that Bilbo had stewed over Sméagol's gall all day. Bilbo walked behind the desk and smiled brightly when he caught sight of Bell Gamgee waiting for him.

She smiled and handed him a box. "Hello Bilbo."

"Bell, it's wonderful to see you."

"That's a little something of your mother's that might help with that project I've heard you're doing."

Bilbo looked at the box. "My mother's?"

"Well hers and mine. It will help, I'm sure."

"Thank you," Bilbo said, sliding the box closer.

Bell smiled brightly. "I need to be getting back to my Samwise, just wanted to drop that off. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Bell."

Bilbo smiled at her and carried the box into his office. He knew he should give it directly to Ori but he slid it under his desk instead and then went back out to finish cleaning up after his session.

Priyänké and her mother were gone and the young dwarf had placed everything into his trolley. He would have to thank her the next time he saw her in the library. He moved all of the tables and then grabbed the broom to start sweeping. He sang under his breath as he did so but paused, startled, when something metallic bounced across the floor. Bilbo rested the broom against the trolley and looked all around until he spied the hint of gold under a chair. He reached under and felt something warm against his fingers but when he pulled it out it was a gold ring – plain and pristine. Bilbo wondered who it could belong to. It felt too heavy in his palm to be a simple gold ring and he tucked it into his waistcoat pocket thinking he would put it into lost property as soon he had finished tidying up.

Bilbo walked back into his office to find Sméagol looking around frantically; his desk a mess as he searched under every slip of parchment and book there.

"What's going on?" Bilbo asked Ori.

The dwarf shrugged. "I don't know – he came back into the office and started searching."

Sméagol turned around and looked at them – his eyes were oddly shadowed and how looked hollow somehow as he sneered at them. "Does one of you have it?"

"Have what?" Bilbo asked.

"My ring!" Sméagol all but shouted.

Bilbo's eyes flickered down to Sméagol's hand even as his hand pressed against the gold ring in his waistcoat pocket. The gold band was on Sméagol's finger.

"You're wearing it," Ori pointed out.

Sméagol glared at him. "Not that one." Bilbo was about to say that he had found a ring, about to offer it to Sméagol when the other hobbit started yelling at Ori. "You are the foulest, stupidest dwarf that I have ever had the misfortune to work with. You should not have even been allowed to enter the library let alone work here. You are completely without merit, your work is superfluous and could be done by a trained warg and now you sit there, staring at me dumbly, and tell me that I am wearing my precious." Sméagol ripped the gold band from his finger and threw it at Ori. "That is not my precious, that is nothing but a trinket. I did not believe you could grow more pointless, nor dumb, and yet when that hairy, disgusting dwarf arrived you lost any sense you may have once had. Did you take my precious?"

"Your precious?" Ori asked dumbly.

"Yes, you horrible, evil, vile dwarf – my precious."

Bilbo's hand fell away from his pocket and he slipped between Bilbo and Sméagol worried that the other hobbit was going to attack Ori.

"Sméagol!" Gandalf said, his voice deep and commanding in a way that made Bilbo snap to attention.

Sméagol turned to Gandalf and seemed to shrink back while the wizard appeared to grow in size. "Gandalf."

"You are banished from this library. This is the last straw, Sméagol."

Sméagol attempted to stand up straight again and Gandalf took a step forward.

"I am going to be talking to Saruman about this," the hobbit said with a quivering voice.

"No, you will not. You insulted a colleague in full view of everyone. You called into question his work, his character and I have warned you about your behaviour. Have your things packed up by the end of the day."

Sméagol shrank back. "My precious…"

Gandalf's eyes flicked halfway to Bilbo and then back to Sméagol. "I do not know what you are talking about, Sméagol."

"It must be here."

"What is it exactly?" Bilbo asked.

Sméagol turned to look at him. "It's mine!"

Bilbo nodded and felt no guilt in not telling the other hobbit what was in his pocket.

"It's my precious," Sméagol mumbled as he turned and started throwing things into a box.

Bilbo turned to look at Ori. "Let's go down to the bookstore in Bree and buy books."

"Yes," Gandalf said, stepping out of the doorway. "You should both go."

Bilbo hustled Ori out of the room and then the library hoping that Sméagol would be gone when they returned.

**///**


	17. I Have Something For You

**///** **I Have Something For You\\\\\**

Bilbo jumped out of his chair, leading the children in front of him in a song about a scarecrow. Thorin smiled at Bilbo as the hobbit caught his eyes. He felt his stomach tighten at the look.

"Thorin."

The dwarf startled and turned, looking up into the grey eyes of Gandalf. He was not normally easy to startle and yet the wizard had managed to sneak up on him. "Gandalf?"

"I would like to speak to you."

Thorin looked back at his nephews. "Then sit."

"This is not a conversation for prying ears."

Thorin shook his head. "I'm here with my nephews."

"I am sure they will be well looked after with Bilbo."

"I cannot leave them."

Gandalf inclined his head. "Come and see me when you have finished then."

Thorin nodded. Gandalf left and Thorin turned his attention back to Bilbo and his nephews. He stood when instructed and helped Bilbo move the tables as he always tried to do. The hobbit stopped at their table as Fíli and Kíli were scrunching up pieces of crepe paper and gluing them onto a picture.

"What wonderful work you are doing Fíli and Kíli," Bilbo said stopping close by Thorin's side.

Thorin nodded. "You have told me they are supposed to be doing these crafts themselves."

Bilbo smiled at him. "Yes."

"I have been told that Dwalin has finished his research," Thorin said.

"Did he interview you?"

"Yes, though I knew him before the project had even started."

Bilbo nodded. "I have heard that he fought at your side."

"He did – I would take him into battle any day but I will not deny that he is much happier with what he is now doing."

"He does seem most happy now."

"I think that may be his young scholar," Thorin said. "I have heard that he may move to the Shire."

Bilbo smiled. "I haven't heard anything."

"I do not know that he has mentioned it to his Ori."

"I think Ori would welcome him."

"Yes?"

"The Shire is a welcoming place for dwarves – I believe it would be a great place for any dwarf to live."

Thorin smiled. "I have enjoyed my time here."

Bilbo smiled at him brightly. "I am so pleased about that."

Someone called for Bilbo's help and the hobbit smiled apologetically and then slipped away. As soon as his nephews were done and they had stickers he made his way to Gandalf's office. He settled his nephews in the corner and watched as Gandalf muttered some words at the door and then sat down across from him.

"I have something for you," Gandalf said, pulling a drawer open. "It was left in my care before your father fell at Azanulbizar."

Thorin sat up straight, his back tight, and stared at Gandalf. "Why are you only giving this to me now?"

"Because it is time; I believe it is time for you to return to Erebor."

Gandalf placed the key and a piece of folded parchment down on Thorin's palm. "Your father informed me that this would allow you to get back into the mountain and reclaim it."

"And Smaug?" Thorin asked, weighing the key in his hand.

"I believe you need a burglar."

Thorin frowned and looked at Gandalf. "You have someone in mind?"

"I do," Gandalf said with an enigmatic smile.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end for me but certainly not for them. Bilbo would of course go with Thorin and his company then fall even more in love with one another. They will reclaim Erebor, everyone will survive, and then Thorin and Bilbo will split their time between Erebor and the Shire or maybe move to Erebor full time. Bilbo and Ori will be able to set up their very own library. They will be in love and wonderful and live happily ever after.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who was supportive through this and left kudos or reviewed or anything else, it meant so much to me - thank you!


End file.
